Humidifying device.



`P. J. DOUGLASS. HUMIDIPYING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULYBO, 1912.

1,094,544, I PatentedApnzs; 1914.v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@QQQQQQQQQQ F. J. DOUGLASS.

HUMIDIFYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY so, 1912.

1,094,544, Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. J. DoUGLAss.

HUMIDIFYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1912.

1,994,544, Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W'TNESSES f@ @ma naaien o. nononnss,l or cnr'cnec, rLLrNoIs.

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Speciication of Letters Patent.

Application led July 30, 1912. Serial No. 712,373.

i 'nmuimrnne nnvron.

PatentedApr. 2S, 1914.

To allwlzo'm 'Ztmay concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK J. DoUGLAss a' citizen of .theUnited States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of '5 Illinois, have invented certain new and seful Improvements in Humidifying Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for imparting humidity to atmosphere of apartments overdried by artiicial heating and it consists in certain novel instrumentalities, constructions and arrangements for eHectively and conveniently accomplishing this esult. 25. Having reference to the specific apparathewhich I have devised for attaining the desired result, theinvention consists further in the use of a steam coil lwhich may per- 'form the functions both of a heater and a condenser, the coil supplying, by condensation, the water to be evaporated and preferably, but not necessarily, also constituting a part of the heating system.

The object of my more, to provide a may be usedlin connectionwith a steam heating-system, which is efli'ective in its operaztion, compact and inexpensive to manufacy ture, and not unsightly in appearance.

so I The invention consistsfurther in the novel honstructions, arrangements and devices in burdidifying apparatus shown in the drawings hereto annexed and which will be hereinafter more claimed.

"".lhe drawings show a preferred form of particularly described and S5 apparatus for carrying out the purposes of v my invention,- it being understood that some -inodications might be made without de-' parture from'the invention.'

' In'the drawings, Figure l 1s a perspective view of the device,Fig.` 2 is a'sectional plan of the same, being taken on thelineQ-Q' of Fig. 3, Fig. 3 a sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows. Fig. 4 isa sectional elevation illustrating somewhat ydiagrammatically the application of my invention to a vapor heating system of familiar type.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several gures ofthe drawings. Referring tothe drawings, 10 designates a box or casing formed with one or more air inlets .11 located below the air outlet 12. Within the box supported on suitable brackets 13 is a water storage vessel 14 open invention lis,' furtherumldifying devlce that' f to the return pipe.

atthe top. I- In this vessel is placed a porous' element 15 adapted to absorb water from the vessel 14 by capillary attraction. This element may consist of a block of unglazed tile. Preferably surrounding the tile 15 is a steam coil 16, one end of which is con-A nected to the steam pipe 17 through a valve 18, the pipe 1'? leading from some source of supply of steam, for example, being connested with the steam heating system that heats theapartment in which the humidifying device is located. Preferably the valve 18 is one of the common types of quick action valve capable of being conveniently manipulated to vary the amount of steam admitted to the coil from the supplypipe 17 in such manner that the position of the handle indicates the Idegree of opening of the valve. The lower end of coil 16 is connected by'means of a pipe 19 with the water 'storage vessel 14. An overflow pipe 20 taps pipe 19 at about the level of the top ofthe or toi any suitable point of discharge. In

this manner a constant flow of steam to the steam coil 16 is insured when the valve 18 is open.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the application. of'

my humidifying device to a vapor heating system of familiar type.

A designates a furnace having a boiler B and smoke stack C.

D designates one of the radiators which receives steam 'from the boiler through pipe F and discharges its waterpf condensation through pipe G into the compartment H' of a tank H. The pipe 17 to .coil 16 leads from supply pipe F. The pipeO `leads is connected with the stack C by apipe I so that a vacuumy is set up in the bompartment AI-I Awhich promotes the circulation through the system. A pipe J leads from the` receptacle VI-I,` belowl the normal water level, to the boiler B. The water in the vessel and in the boiler, therefore, stand at the same level provided there be no difthrough pipe 20 being trapped to the'boiler G. The compartment H. l

ference in pressure above these bodies of water. In lthe vessel II is a ioatK connected with the damper L of the furnace A by a cord M which runs over pulleys N. An excess of pressure in the boiler raises the water level in the vessel H, with theresult that the damper L is closed and the apartment flows in the opening 11 and out at l2, the coil 16 facilitating this circulation. The air absorbs moisture from the orous element. The circulation of steam, air and y water is continuous and thus the air in the room is humidified. By means of the valve 18 the supply of water to the porous element may he controlled, while any overflow will be carried ofi through pipes 19 and 20., Where the deviceis connected with a heating system such as that just described it will automatically operate, whenever the heating system is in operation, to continuously supply the air in the heated apartj ment with the additional moisture which the operation of the heating system necessitates When the heating system is shut off the humidifier will automatically cease to operate, unless it is se arately operated, as may be done if required.

It will be seen that by utilizing the heating element of the device for supplying water for evaporation the device automatically keeps itself supplied with water and so requires no attention in this re ard. Furthermore, it automatically adjusts itself to varying conditionsu As the weather is 'colder and the heating system is called upon to supply a greater amount of heat, the air -in the room is made proportionately drier and requires an increased evaporation of water in the' humidifying device.` Under such conditions of increased steam flow and more rapid radiation the rate of condensation in the coil 16 willI be increased since the coil will necessarily operate as a radiator and will ordinarily be so located as to perform its part in heating the apartment. The increased temperature of the air will increase the rate of evaporation, supplying the atmosphere Awith more moisture as more moisture is needed. Similarly the increased amount of condensation taking place in the coil will increase the amount of water suphumidifier need not. be a part of a heating system, and the coil v16 need not necessarily be located around the porous element,l r even in the heated .apartment where the air is to be humidiiied, but, for best results,

it will be constructed and arranged as shown. in the drawings. So., also, while I consider that the best results arek attained with the parts assembled and operating as shown, as an integral element of a vacuum or low pressure steam heating system, the inven- A element, of an evaporator, and a water receptacle for supplying water to said evaporator, all so arranged that said evaporator is heated by said heating element and said heating element dischargesv its water of condensation to said receptacle which supplies said evaporator.

2. In a humidifying device, the combination with a casing provided with an air in` take and an air outlet, of a vessel in said casing adapted to contain water, a porous element arranged to receive water from said vessel, and means withinsa-id casing for applying heat to the porous element to cause evaporation therefrom.

3. In a humidifying device, the combination with a vessel to contain water, of a porous element in said vessel and projecting therefrom, and a steam coil surrounding the projecting part of said porous element and having a discharge connection for water of condensation leading to said vessel.

4. In a humidifying device, the combina-` tion with a casing provided with intake and outlet openings; of a vessel for water in said casing, apor'ous element in said vessel and projecting therefrom a steam coil surrounding said porous element, means for controllably admittin steam to said steam coil, and a discharge plpe adapted to conduct water of condensation from said coil to said vessel.

5. The combination with a vacuum heatin system, of a humidifying device comprising a vessel adapted to contain water,

a porous element projecting therefrom, a

heating coil forming a part of said vacuum system surrounding said orous element, and a discharge connection rom the lower end of the heatin coil to said vessel.

6. A humi ifier comprising the combination with a waterreceptacle and an absorbent member resting therein and projecting upwardly therefrom, of a single means f densation vto said receptacle,

for simultaneously supplyin water of coneating said absorbent member and causing a current of air to flow over and in Contact with said ab- ;orbent member to cause evaporation thererom.

7 A humidiier com rising a water receptacle, means for absor ing water in said re-.iv ceptacle and conducting the water by capilf` lary attraction to a point above the water level in said receptacle, a 4steam coil arranged to heat the part of the absorbing means above the water receptacle, to discharge its water a jecting therefrom, a source of low pressure steam supply,a steam coil arranged to discharge condensation in to said pan, and arranged around and ad]ace'nt to said tile, so

as, to heat .the tile a d cause a current of heated vair toprise in contact ,with the mois- -tened surface lof said t1le, 'the connection (between said coil and said pan -being arranged to provide a water seal to prevent the escape of steam from the coil into the pan.

9. InI a vacuum heatingsystem, the combination with means tending to produce a vacuuma at the return end of said system, a y

heatinga coil forming part of said, SySteIIL'a vessel adapted to contain water, a "pojrous element projecting therefrom surrounded' by said coil, a discharge pipe from said coilto ,the -lower part of said vesselyan'd a conduit connected tosaid discharge pipe at a level intermediate the top and bottom of said 'vessel and in operative connection with said" means tending to roduce a vacuum in said system,esubstantia ly as described.

10. The combination with a vacuum heating system, of means tending to producer a vacuum in the return end of said system, a

heating coil interposed in said system, a

water receptacle, a porous element projecting` from said water receptacle, a discharge pipe arranged to conduct water of condensation from said coil to said receptacle andto provide a water seal between said coil and said receptacle, and a conduit connected' with said discharge pipe above th lowest point of the trap portion of said discharge pipe and below the top of said water receptacle and in operative communication with said means tending to produce a vacuum.

1 FRANK JfnoUGLAss.'

Witnesses: p

G. Y. SKINNERQY R. C. Tnonrson. 

